Erie County To Enter Green Phase June 26

After much anticipation and uncertainty, Erie County is finally going Green. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced this morning that Erie County would be among the last 12 holdouts to shift to the final phase of COVID-19 reopening next Friday, June 26. The other 11 counties include Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and Susquehanna — primarily located in the harder-hit eastern half of the state. Philadelphia County, which had the highest case count in Pennsylvania, will be subject to some additional restrictions through July 3. 

Note that the Green Phase is not a free-for-all  — reopening businesses and social gatherings are still strongly advised to follow the latest CDC and Pa. Dept. of Health guidelines. Social distancing, reduced capacities, and mask-wearing will all still be in play. Restaurants and bars, personal care (barbershops, spas, salons, etc.), indoor recreation and health facilities (gyms/fitness centers), and entertainment venues (theaters, casinos, shopping malls) will open for the first time in months. 

ON THE MAP: The yellow-green color indicates counties moving to the Green phase of reopening on Friday, June 26. The darker yellow color (Philadelphia County) indicates some restrictions holding until July 3, while Yellow (Lebanon County) indicates a county still in the Yellow phase with its Green phase TBD.

An early version of this map included Lebanon County in Green phase. Lebanon County will, in fact, be the sole holdout in Yellow with no planned Green phase announcement as of yet.